Growing Up
by JavaForever
Summary: Chapter story inspired by "That Little Girl" and "Unconditional Love". A more in depth examination of Luke, Lorelai, and their daughter. Enjoy and please review!


A/N: Were any of you expecting this? I sure wasn't! But I am happy! So for your enjoyment, I give you the long story of Madison! squeals

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls! Madison is all mine though…

Changes

"And Huggy sits here. Then Vanessa sits next to him, right here. Then Samantha here, and Ariel here,"

"Why do they have to sit like that?"

Madison rolled her eyes and turned to face her friend. "Because, Huggy and Vanessa are married, and Samantha and Ariel are their daughters so they have to sit on the other side of the table next to each other."

"Oh,"

"Now, Emily you sit here and I'll sit here." The two six year-olds settled into their seats. "Oh," Madison said sounding surprised. "We don't have any food."

"What do we do?" Madison narrowed her eyes for a minute before they opened wide and she broke into a grin.

"Come on!" She exclaimed, already running for the door. "But be quiet."

Slowly, the two girls crept down the stairs, through the living room, and into the kitchen. Madison carefully pulled a chair over to the counter and climbed up. She reached into the cabinet, triumphantly pulling down a box of cookies.

"Yes!" Emily cried.

"Shh!" Madison said hastily. "Hurry up!" They made a run for the stairs and would have made it if Emily hadn't knocked into the table. "Oh no," Madison whispered, beginning to run again.

"Freeze!" The girls stopped in their tracks and grudgingly turned to face the person who caught them.

"Hi Daddy!" Madison said guiltily, quickly hiding the cookies behind her back.

Luke sighed. "Hi Madison, what's behind your back?"

"Uh…nothing?"

"Nothing wouldn't happen to look like a box of cookies would it?"

Madison faltered. "Well…"

"You are your mother's daughter," Luke said, rolling his eyes. "Put the cookies away, Emily's mom is here to pick her up."

"Fine," Madison sighed.

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"Madison," Luke said after Emily had left. "We need to have a talk. Daddy to Maddie."

"That rhymed!" Madison exclaimed.

"Oh," Luke said. "Yes it did, but I need you to listen to me now." He pulled her up onto the couch next to him. "Now," He said. "This afternoon when I came into the living room and saw you with the cookies, you told me that there was nothing behind your back, right?"

"Right," She whispered.

"Do you know what that is?"

"No,"

"You lied to me this afternoon."

"I did?"

"Madison, you know what lying is. Your mom and I have taught you better than that." Luke told her sternly.

"I'm sorry."

"Next time, you need to tell me that you did something wrong. You aren't allowed to get cookies without asking. You know that too. Lying about it will only make things worse."

"I'm really sorry!" Madison exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes.

Luke became slightly alarmed. "Hey," he said softly. "Don't cry. You're okay."

She sniffled and looked up at him sadly. "I won't lie ever again." She promised.

"Don't be so sure." Luke laughed.

"I won't!" She exclaimed. "I'm not going to lie anymore!"

"Madison, I know you don't understand this right now, but there will be times when you do something you know is wrong. Like lying. Everyone does that at some point. And I might get mad, but I'll always love you."

"Always?"

"Forever." He said seriously.

"Forever and ever?"

"Forever and ever."

"Forever and ever and ever?" She prodded, grinning now.

"That's enough!" Luke exclaimed.

She smiled. "I love you too! I'm going upstairs to play," she said.

"Have fun."

Luke smiled as he watched her go. It was hard to believe that this little girl had been around for a whole six years. Unbelievable really. Had six years flown by that quickly? It seemed like just yesterday that she was a tiny baby who depended on him for everything. She needed him to change her, feed her, clothe her, and so on. It made him feel so incredibly special. This amazing little life that he helped bring into the world needed him to survive.

Then she became a toddler. She could walk, talk, dress herself – not that the outfits were color coordinated or anything – and feed herself. She didn't need him so much. But something did change. She began to really show how much she loved him. Hugs, kisses, she could even say "I love you" now. It was possibly even more amazing. Nothing in the world compared to hearing your little girl tell you that she loved you.

It was the hardest thing he ever had to do to take her to kindergarten her first day. He simply did not want to accept that his little girl was not quite so little anymore. She was still little technically speaking, but she was really growing up. She was going to leave him during the day now. He had gotten so used to her being around all the time. When she at friend's houses, she was with him in the diner, or with her mom. It seemed so strange that she was going to school.

But at the end of the day, that first day of kindergarten, he had picked her up. And she had run to him at full speed, jumping into his arms for a hug. She had babbled endlessly about everyone in her class and everything they did that day. She talked about her teacher, and her cubbyhole, and the picture she drew. That's when he realized that just because she was going to school now, it didn't mean that everything was going to change. And what changed was changing for the better.

Luke smiled and got up, planning to check on Madison. When he knocked on her door, she opened it to reveal herself. Dressed up in a princess dress. He suppressed a laugh to keep from hurting her feelings. "Come in!" She exclaimed. Luke squeezed through the door.

"What are you doing?"

"Having a tea party."

"Oh,"

"Come on!" Madison said excitedly. "Come to the tea party!"

"I don't know," Luke said. "I've never been to a tea party before."

"Okay," She said, jumping right in. "Now, you sit here right next to Huggy, and I'll sit here…"

He smiled. Everything was changing for the better.


End file.
